A mere mention of a toy piano conjures up an image of a miniature keyboard being played by young kids. A casual query to parents on a typical price of a toy piano is usually met with a reply of less than 100 dollars. Toy pianos are widely available in Singapore online and in the major retail stores. Like the standard pianos that are played by students and professions they come in upright or grand piano style.
However did you know that a good quality toy grand piano can command a price tag equivalent to an old second hand upright piano? A check with a local online store Agape Babies shows a top piano costing more than 500 Singapore dollars.
What is a Toy Piano
A toy piano consist of a keyboard with typically 30 keys. Unlike a traditional piano which has hammers hitting the strings, a toy piano functions like a glockenspiel where the hammers are hitting metal plates.
Toy Piano Performance and Performers
Music featuring toy pianos are composed from the mid 20th century onwards and are featured in quartets and orchestra. The Straits Times have recently published an article about Margaret Leng Tan here, However I will like to present 2 other notable toy pianist Phyllis Chen and Isabel Ettenauer. Like Margaret, both are multi instrumentalist who plays other instruments .
Phyllis Chen
Isabel Ettenauer
